IAF paramotor expedition kicks off with eye on world record

A paramotor expedition team of Indian Air Force, which aims to cover a distance of 10,000km and create a new world record, was today flagged off here.
As the name of the expedition, 'Pradakshina', suggests, it will cover most of the boundary of the nation.
The expedition will head to Kalaikunda in West Bengal from where, on February 1, it will proceed down the eastern coast to Kanyakumari. It will then turn north and fly along the western coast till Gujarat.
The expedition will move through the deserts of Rajasthan, enter Punjab and go up till the foothills of the Himalayas at Jammu. They will then take the southerly direction to come to New Delhi.

Thereafter, the expedition will move through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar before concluding at Kalaikunda on March 15.
Upon successful completion, the team will not only be setting a national record but also script a new world record by surpassing the current record of 9,132km for such an expedition.

The team consists of 14 air warriors, including paramotor pilots, ground vehicles and support staff, and is being led by Wg Cdr MPS Solanki from the Directorate of Adventure, Indian Air Force.
Paramotor flying includes open cockpit flying where the pilot is not protected and is exposed to the elements.
During the expedition, the team will cover a distance of 10,000km and face difficult weather conditions. It will cross terrain ranging from mountains and forests to coastlines and the desert and will attempt to achieve standards that not only remain unbeaten for years to come but also place India on top of the world in the field of aero-sports, a press release said.